The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails

The Fragile is the third studio album by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released as a double album on September 21, 1999, by Nothing and Interscope Records. It was produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and longtime collaborator Alan Moulder. It was recorded throughout 1997 to 1999 in New Orleans. Looking to depart from the distorted production of their previous record, The Downward Spiral (1994), the album features elements of ambient and electronic music, alongside the band's traditional industrial rock sound. Lyrically, the record brings over some of the themes from The Downward Spiral, including depression and drug abuse. The album notably contains more instrumental sections than their previous work, some of which span entire tracks. The Fragile is also one of the band's longest studio releases, clocking in at nearly one and three quarter hours long. The record was promoted with three singles: "The Day the World Went Away", "We're in This Together", and "Into the Void", as well as the promotional single "Starfuckers, Inc." and an accompanying tour, the Fragility Tour, which spanned two legs. Several accompanying recordings were also released, including a remix album, Things Falling Apart (2000), a live album, And All That Could Have Been (2002), as well as an alternate version of the record, The Fragile: Deviations 1 (2016). Upon release, the album received a positive response from critics, who applauded its ambition and composition, although some criticized its length and lyrical substance. Retrospectively, it is cited by many critics and audiences to be among the band's best work. The album debuted at number one in the US, becoming their first chart-topper, and was eventually certified double-platinum by RIAA.